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Highlands Catcher Bryce Ziegler blocks the plate as he works to apply the tag on the leg to prevent a Paintsville run from scoring at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Highlands First Baseman Tyler Gulley (5) and Pitcher Hunter Dreves work for a back pick on Paintsville at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Tyler Gulley Squeezes a pop fly in foul territory to bag an out as the Highlands duggout looks on in encouragement for the Bluebirds at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Tyler Gulley sends the baseball back to the mound after bagging the third out of the inning for Highlands at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Casey Greene of Highlands is all smiles as he rounds Third and knows he will plate a run at Home for the Bluebirds at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Tyler Gulley (5) slides safely back to Second Base ahead of the inbound throw from the outfield at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

The Umpire says safe for Paintsville though the preceeding tag had been made by Chris Bridewell (11) of Highlands at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Joe Steiden touches Third and heads Home as Highlands blanks Paintsville 5-0 in the Quarterfinal game at the 2018 KHSAA State Baseball Championship Tournament, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Highlands' Tyler Gulley strokes a drive to the outfield for a Bluebirds hit in the Quarterfinal at the 2018 KHSAA State Baseball Championship Tournament, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Bryce Ziegler of Highlands looks to power a hit for the Bluebirds and drive in an insurance run in the Quarterfinals at the 2018 KHSAA State Baseball Championship Tournament, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Joe Steiden drives a basehit to the outfield for Highlands and adds to the Bluebirds RBI count in the Quaterfinals of the 2018 KHSAA State Baseball Championship Tournament, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Bryce Ziegler lays the tag at the knee on the Paintsville runner helping lead the Bluebirds to a shutout in the Quarterfinals at the 2018 KHSAA State Baseball Championship Tournament, June 9, 2018. Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer

Hunter Dreves of Highlands hurls a 2 hitter and shuts out Paintsville 5-0 in the Quarterfinal of the 2018 KHSAA State Baseball Championship Tournament, June 9, 2018.(Photo: Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer)

LEXINGTON, Ky . – Highlands baseball won its rubber match with the 15th Region Saturday night and punched a ticket to the state semifinals for the third time in team history.

Highlands outlasted Paintsville 5-0 in a quarterfinal game of the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA State Baseball Tournament at Whitaker Bank Ballpark. Highlands (28-13), state runner-up in 2015, will play McCracken County 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 15 at the stadium. Hazard and St. Xavier face off in the first semi at 6 p.m. The state championship game is 7 p.m. Saturday, June 16.

“It's a great feeling,” said Highlands junior catcher Bryce Ziegler. “I still can’t believe that we’re here. This team puts up a lot of hard work so we definitely deserve it.”

Highlands had split two tense matches with Johnson Central in the past two state tournaments. Paintsville (26-13), who snapped Johnson Central’s four-year streak of 15th Region titles with a 5-2 win in the regional final last week, fell victim to Highlands’ patient approach at the plate and some timely defense.

Highlands had plenty of baserunners on the night, collecting eight hits, drawing seven walks and taking advantage of two Paintsville errors. The Bluebirds left nine runners on base in the first four innings and 12 for the game but did more than enough for the win with Hunter Dreves on the mound.

Highlands, winners of the Ninth Region for four straight seasons, is in position to win Northern Kentucky’s ninth state championship and first since 2002.

Highlands' Tyler Gulley strokes a drive to the outfield for a Bluebirds hit in the Quarterfinal at the 2018 KHSAA State Baseball Championship Tournament, June 9, 2018.(Photo: Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer)

“It’s a big deal,” said Highlands head coach Jeremy Baioni. “I’m proud of our guys. They worked hard to get in this position. It’s a credit to them. They want to win a state championship.”

And the Bluebirds got one of the best starts of the season from senior Dreves, who improved to 4-1 on the season. The senior Tennessee signee threw a two-hit shutout, walking four and striking out eight. He threw 96 pitches.

“It feels good,” Dreves said. “The team is behind you. Everything you do, they’re going to support you no matter what. It feels good to get the win and go out and perform.”

Dreves walked the leadoff batter in the first, the pitcher Tanner Smith, who stole second and third with one out. Smith came into the tournament with 34 steals and the Tigers averaged 5.5 per game for the year.

Dreves forced a grounder back to him for the second out, then a pop foul to end the threat.

Highlands got two on in the first after two were out on a walk to Ziegler and a single by Tyler Gulley, but couldn’t score.

Paintsville had a big opportunity in the second inning, putting runners on first and third with nobody out.

The next batter, Jon McKenzie, grounded to Sam Hennigan at third base. He threw to first, and the runner Ryan Gibson broke for the plate. First baseman Gulley threw him out at home, with Ziegler tagging him out, and Dreves retired the next batter to keep the Tigers off the board.

Casey Greene of Highlands is all smiles as he rounds Third and knows he will plate a run at Home for the Bluebirds at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018.(Photo: Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer)

Highlands struck for three in the bottom of the second as Smith struggled with his control. He walked three batters and had two wild pitches, plus one Paintsville error. In the midst of that, Hennigan and Joe Steiden delivered RBI singles, and with the bases loaded, Ziegler grounded out to first for the third run in the frame. Highlands left the bases loaded, but it was 3-0.

Highlands left two on in the third and it remained 3-0.

Paintsville put a runner on third with one out in the fourth when Ben Daniels singled, and Dreves sent him to third after a wild pickoff throw allowed him to advance two bases. Dreves struck out the next batter and hit the one after that.

With McKenzie at the plate, the Tigers tried some trickeration and failed. Karsten Poe, the runner at first, started trotting to second as Dreves was getting in his stance to throw a pitch. Dreves stepped off the mound and headed to second to try to get Poe in a rundown.

Meanwhile, the runner at third, Daniels, broke for home hoping the Bluebirds were too distracted by the action at second. It didn’t work, as shortstop Ethan Kavanagh fired to the plate and Ziegler tagged him out to end the inning.

“It was really big because we were able to keep them from scoring and getting momentum,” Ziegler said. “We work on that in practice. We call it the walkoff play. The pitcher runs him back and if he goes home, we throw home. We executed it pretty well.”

“It’s making the routine plays,” Baioni said. “We told our guys all year: Don’t be the hero, don’t try to do anything special, get the out. It takes great throws and guys doing everything they were taught to do.”

Highlands added two more in the fourth inning on RBI singles by Gulley and Drew Rom to lead 5-0.

Sam Hennigan (4) is just a bit late on the Third Base tag as Paintsville snags a stolen base at the KHSAA State Baseball Quarterfinal in Lexington, KY, June 9, 2018.(Photo: Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer)

Kavanagh made another fine defensive play in the sixth with a diving stab in the hole and a strong throw to first to thwart a potential rally.

It was all in support of Dreves, who enjoyed the momentum going into next weekend.

“It all starts with throwing strikes and pounding the zone, really challenging hitters,” Baioni said. “Hunter did a great job of that tonight. He really worked the counts and was throwing the breaking ball for strikes. He painted corners. When you do that, the defense is ready to make plays and our guys did a fantastic job behind him.”